Conveyor and printer mechanism

ABSTRACT

AN INTERLOCK IS PROVIDED BETWEEN A PAPER ADVANCE ROLLER ON A PRINT MODULE, WHICH PRINT MODULE IS SLIDABLE INTO A CHASSIS OF A LARGER UNIT, SUCH AS A READER-PRINTER, AND A CONVEYOR WITHIN THE CHASSIS FOR CONVEYING A FINISHED PRINT FROM THE PRINT MODULATE TO AN EXIT SLOT. THE INTERLOCK COMPRISES A PAIR OF SIMILAR ROTATABLE COUPLERS WHICH HAVE EXTENDING LUGS THAT ARE ENGAGEABLE WITH EACH OTHER WHEN THE RINT MODULE IS IN POSITION WITHIN THE CHASSIS. ONE OF THE COUPLERS IS SPRING-BIASED ON ITS ROTATIONAL AXIS TO PROVIDE RELATIVE MOVEMENT IF THE LUGS ENGAGE EACH OTHER HEAD-ON DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PRINT MODULE INTO THE CHASSIS. THE CONVEYOR PROVIDES A PATH FROM THE PAPER ADVANCE DEVICE TO THE EXIT SLOT AND INCLUDES A FIXED PLATE THROUGH WHICH DRIVE ROLLERS EXTEND AND A REMOVABLE PLATE PARALLEL THERETO THROUGH WHICH PRESSURE ROLLERS EXTEND WHICH ARE SPRING-BIASED AGAINST THE DRIVE ROLLERS.

June- 1972 G. K. CZARNIKOW 3,667,843

CONVEYOR AND PRINTER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 12, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet lGEORGE w. CZARNIKOW 2 I INVENT OR.

BY b a w W ATTORNEYS June 1972 G. K. CZARNIKOW 3,667,843

7 CONVEYOR AND PRINTER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 12, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 68-64 GEoRE w. CZARNIKOW I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS June 6, 1972 s. K. CZARNIKOW 3,667,343

CONVEYOR AND PRINTER MECHANISM GEORGE w. CZARNIKOW INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States 3,667,843 CONVEYOR AND PRINTER MECHANISM GeorgeK. Czarnikow, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company,Rochester, NY. Filed Dec. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 884,577 Int. Cl. G03b 29/00US. Cl. 355-29 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An interlock isprovided between a paper advance roller on a print module, which printmodule is slidable into a chassis of a larger unit, such as areader-printer, and a conveyor within the chassis for conveying afinished print from the print modulate to an exit slot. The interlookcomprises a pair of similar rotatable couplers which have extending lugsthat are engageable with each other when the print module is in positionwithin the chassis.

One of the couplers is spring-biased on its rotational axis to providerelative movement if the lugs engage each other head-on during movementof the print module into the chassis. The conveyor provides a path fromthe paper advance device to the exit slot and includes a fixed platethrough which drive rollers extend and a removable plate parallelthereto through which pressure rollers extend which are spring-biasedagainst the drive rollers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates to an interlock between a print module and a conveyor and moreparticularly to an interlock whereby a conveyor is driven by paperadvance device in a print module.

Description of the prior art In the prior art various types ofinterlocks are provided for interconnecting two rotatable members. Forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 2,056,305 to Thomas provides an interlock betweena rotatable knob on a door and a mechanism behind the door so that themechanism can be controlled by the knob when the door is closed.Furthermore, US. Pat. No. 2,475,573 to Smith et a1. discloses a magneticcoupling between a sensing mechanism and a recording needle whereas US.Pat. No. 3,362,143 to Gullickson discloses an interlock for two shaftswhich are moved from an axially misaligned position to an axiallyaligned position. However, no means is shown in the above prior art forinterconnecting two normally axially aligned devices and particularlyfor interconnecting a paper advance device and a print module with aconveyor for conveying a finished print from the print module to theoutside of the larger chassis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, a printerchassis having a print module movable into and out'of the chassis isprovided with means for interconnecting a paper advance means or deviceon the print module with a conveyor in the chassis for conveying afinished print from the printer to .an exit slot in the chassis. Thisinterconnecting means can include a first rotatably mounted coupler onthe paper advance means and a second rotatably mounted coupler on theconveyor which couplers each have extending lugs that are engageablewith the lugs on the other coupler for driving the conveyor from thepaper advance means. Conveniently, one of the couplers may bespring-biased along its rotational axis toward the other coupler so thatif the lugs come into engagement head-on when the print module ispositioned in the printer chassis, the spring-biased coupler will bedisplaced until energization of the print advance means causes relativerotary movement between the couplers. The conveyor provides a pathwayfor a print to be transported from the paper advance means of the printmodule to an exit slot in the chassis and includes a fixed plate and aremovable plate mounted generally parallel to the fixed plate. Spaceddrive rollers on the conveyor are mounted so thtat they extend throughthe fixed plate and are engageable by spring-biased pressure rollersextending through a removable plate. The removable plate is made so thatit can be taken out of the chassis in the event of a paper jam so thatthe jammed paper may be removed from the conveyor.

Additional features of the invention will become apparent from thedescription which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of aprinter chassis having a slidable drawer containing a print module;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the printerchassis of FIG. 1, showing the interrelationship between the conveyorand the print module;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top-plan view of the conveyor of FIG. 2 showingdetails of the interlock mechanism between the print module and theconveyor;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a means of attachingthe removable plate portion of the conveyor to the chassis;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the interlock means for coupling theprint module to the conveyor; and

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken along line 66 of FIG. 3 showing thedrive mechanism for the conveyor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [In accordance with thisinvention, a printer chassis P, which may be part of a reader-printermay have a drawer 2 which is slidable into and out of the chassis andcontains a print module M. The reader-printer is illustrated as havingmeans for projecting an image of an original, such as microfilm 4, to aviewing screen 6 or for projecting an image to print module M where thehard copies thereof are made. The print module can-use any copyingtechnique known in the art such as a silver process or an electrostaticcopying process.

Print module M includes a pair of spaced sidewalls 8 and 10 betweenwhich a supply roll 12 is joumalled for dispensing receivingpaper to becut into sheets on which an image from an original document isreproduced. The finished prints, such as print 14, are fed through apaper advance means, such as a pair of drive rollers 16 mounted on driveshaft 18, as best seen in FIG. 3. Drive shaft 18 is driven through abelt 20 connected to a suitable power source, .not shown. Conveniently,a pair of pressure rollers 22 are mounted for rotation about ashortshaft 24 which is journalled in a leaf spring support 26 .that.

biases rollers 22 against drive rollers 16 for feeding a finished printtherebetween. Print 14 is directed by spaced guides 28 and 30', as shownin FIG. 2, intoa passageway in conveyor C formed by fixed plate 32 andremovable plate 34 parallel to plate 32.

.Advantageously, a plurality of drive rollers 36,38, and 40 are mountedrespectively on shafts 42, 44, and 46 and extend through openings, suchas opening 48 for roller 36, into the pathway as shown. Removable plate34 is provided with a plurality of spaced pressure rollers 50', 52, and54 which extend through slots, such as slot 56 for roller 50, into thepathway and are biased against the respective drivev rollers by means ofleaf springs '58, Y60 and 62, respectively. To attach removableplate 34within Patented June 6, 1972 conveyor C, a pair of spaced brackets 64,which may be attached to chassis P, as by welding, as shown in FIG. 2.As more clearly seen in 'FIG. 4, each bracket 64 may be provided with anelongated slot 66 which is adapted to receive an car 68 of plate 34.

Spaced plates 32 and 34 form at their upper ends an exit slot 70 throughwhich a print is fed which is deflected by a cover 72 which may beattached to the chassis as by hinge 74. If a paper jam should occur,cover 72 may be pivoted about hinge 74 in a clockwise direction, asviewed in FIG. 2 so that plate 34 can be pulled upwardly so that it isdisengaged from slot 66 of bracket 64 and is removed. Once the jammedpaper has been removed the plate may be reinserted into position asshown so that the pressure rollers engage the drive rollers.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, drive rollers are driven through anendless member, such as endless chain 76 which extends around cogs orgears 78, 80 and 82 on shafts 42, 4-4, and 46, respectively. Inaddition, the chain extends around an idler cog or gear 84 and around adrive cog or gear 86 on a stub shaft 88. 'It is through this gear 86that the conveyor is driven. Constant tension is maintained on chain 76by means of an idler gear 90 which is rotatably attached to one end of alink 92 pivoted at its other end to a bracket 94 on printer chassis P.Link 92 tends to be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction as viewed inFIG. 6, by coil spring 96 connected between arm 92 and bracket 94, asshown.

As stated above, conveyor C is driven through gear 86 which acts as acoupler and is normally biased by a coil spring 98 against a snap ring100. Gear 86 is provided with a pair of spaced studs or lugs 102extending outwardly therefrom which interlock with corresponding lugs104 on coupler 106 which is fixedly attached to drive shaft 18 androtatable therewith, as best seen in FIG. 3.

Thus, it can be seen that when drawer 2 is slid into chassis P, as fromthe left as viewed in FIG. 3, lugs 104 on coupler 106 will normally movebetween lugs 102 on coupler or gear 86 so that upon energization of thepaper feed means through shaft 18, the conveyor will be driven throughthe coupling to advance a finished print 14 from print module M throughconveyor C to the exit slot. Of course, if lugs 102 are aligned withlugs 104 so that they meet head-on when the drawer is closed, coilspring 98 will permit gear 86 to be displaced to the right, as viewed inFIG. 3. However, when shaft 18 begins to rotate, the rounded ends of thelugs will cause lugs 104 to slide off the ends of lugs 102 so thatspring 98 can move gear coupler 86 to the left so that the lugs areinterengaged to drive the conveyor. When it is necessary to service theprint module, drawer 2 can be withdrawn and the lugs will becomeuncoupled.

From the foregoing, the advantages of this invention are readilyapparent. A coupling device has been provided between a print module anda conveyor within a printer chassis which provides a rapid and easycoupling and uncoupling of the two units so that the conveyor may bedriven from the same power source which drives the paper feed means. Inaddition, a conveyor is provided which has a removable panel foreliminating any paper jams, should they develop.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference toa preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be eifected within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

I claim:

'1. An improved printer comprising:

(a) a printer chassis including a housing and having means defining aprint exit slot in said housing;

(b) a print module having a print-making path and being supported onsaid chassis for movement into and out of said housing;

() means on said print module for receiving a supply of print paper;

(d) activatable print paper advance means, mounted on said print module,for moving received print paper along said print-making path;

(e) a print paper conveyor mounted on said chassis within said housingand including means for conveying a finished print from said printmodule to said print exit slot; and

(f) interlock means for drivingly coupling said print paper advancemeans of said print module and said print paper conveyor in response tomovement of said print module into said printer chassis.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said interlock meansincludes:

a first rotatable coupler drivable by said paper advance means;

a second rotatable coupler on said conveyor for driving said conveyor;and

first and second lug means on said first and second couplers,respectively, engageable when said print module is on said chassis fordriving said conveyor.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein one of said couplers isresiliently biased toward the other of said couplers.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said print paper conveyorincludes:

means defining a pathway for conveying a finished print from said printmodule to said slot defining means;

a plurality of spaced drive rollers along said pathway coupled to saidinterlock means; and

pressure rollers positioned along said pathway adjacent said driverollers for urging said finished prints against said drive rollers sothat said finished prints are conveyed along said pathway to said exitslot defining means.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said pathway defining meansincludes:

a fixed plate extending from adjacent said paper advance means to saidexit slot defining means, said drive rollers extending therethrough tosaid pathway; and

a removable plate parallel to but spaced from said fixed plate, saidpressure rollers being attached thereto andbeing spring-biased towardsaid drive rollers.

6. In combination, a printer module having print paper advancing meansmounted thereon; a printer chassis supporting said printer module formovement into and out of said chassis and having a print conveyormounted therein; and an interlock for interconnecting said print paperadvancing means and said print conveyor, said interlock including;

7 a first coupler rotatably mounted on said printer module and having atleast one lug extending therefrom, said first coupler being connected tosaid paper advancing means for rotation thereby; and

a second coupler rotatably mounted on said conveyor and having at leastone lub extending toward said lug of said first coupler, said lugs beingengageable upon movement of said print module into said printer chassis;

at least one of said couplers being mounted for movement in directionstoward and away from the other of said couplers and including springbias means for urging said one coupler in the direction toward the otherof said couplers.

7. The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said conveyor has a drivechain and one of said couplers includes a gear engageable with saidchain to drive said conveyor.

8. Improved copying apparatus of the type having an operative path alongwhich copy material is moved during a copying cycle, said apparatuscomprising:

(a) a main chassis having walls therearound, said walls having a copyingmodule opening and a copy material egress opening formed therein;

(b) a copying module supported on said main chassis for movement betweenan operative position substantially within said main chassis and aservicing position withdrawn from said main chassis, said copying moduleincluding closure means cooperable with the Walls of said main chassisin said operative position for rendering said apparatus interiorsubstantially light-tight;

() means on said module for receiving a supply of copy materiah -(d)first feed means on said copying module for moving copy material alongthe operative path of said apparatus;

(e) second feed means on said main chassis for feeding copy material tosaid egress opening;

(f) drive means coupled to one of said first and second feed means;

(g) interlock means for connecting said drive means to the other saidfirst and second feed means upon movement of said module to saidoperative position and References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Grant 355X Fairbanks 242-71.1 Jeppesen 192-67 Ford 242-58 X Muchow 355-29Ber'kholz 192-67 SAMUEL S. MATTHEWS, Primary Examiner M. HARRIS,Assistant Examiner US Cl. X.R.

